Asian Peacock Form Opium Pipe

Carved Turkish Figural Meerschaum Pipe with Moorish Turkish Bearded head. Meerschaum pipe is a smoking pipe made from the mineral sepiolite, also known as meerschaum. Meerschaum , German for "sea foam" is sometimes found floating on the Black Sea and is rather suggestive of sea foam (hence the German origin of the name, as well as the French name for the same substance, écume de mer). Meerschaum, also known as curlstone, is a unique mineral mined in the Anatolian province of Eskisehir. Local artisans hand carve the stone into collectibles, most notably tobacco pipes...

Vintage Asian oriental Chinese glazed crackled ceramic lamp in turquoise color with raised relief foliage and laughing Buddha. This beautiful midcentu...

The Asian recumbent ram is shown resting upon gilded hooves with head raised and black eyes looking straight ahead, its mouth slightly opened, finely decorated with dense scrolled pa...

Luxury Goods from India The Art of the Indian Cabinet-Maker hardcover table book. The V&A's collection of furniture and woodwork from India and Sri Lanka is unrivalled, reflecting a...

This unusual, barrel-form object was originally one of the many accessories that comprised an opium smoker's kit. Formed of brass with a copper lining, the small tool is known by col...

A small Chinese chatelaine tool set strung with a petite white brass tools, including a spoon, a scraper and a pair of tweezers. The small tools hang from short chains linked to a si...

An elegant pair of scissors once used to trim the wick of an opium lamp. Formed of steel and copper, these petite scissors feature gracefully curved handles and short blades engraved...

By the 18th century, opium use had become as central to Chinese social life as taking tea or smoking tobacco, fostering a subculture rich with its own customs, traditions, and exquis...